VENICE AUGUST 2003

We went to Venice as part of our Honeymoon. Travelling independently we stayed at the annexe of the Hotel Torino - about 5 minutes walk from the St Mark's Square. Excellent service, clean, TV etc, air conditioning, shower and WC. We found we could walk everywhere in Venice, no bus, Metro or Taxi used. We booked it all online, plane and hotel and airport transfer at www.britishairways.com 

One of the amazing things about flying into Venice Marco Polo Airport is the transfer to  Venice itself, not by the usual bus or train, but by speedboat!! It takes about 20mins. For your own private speedboat water taxi, the maximum allowed price is EURO 90. So bear this in mind, of course if you go on the public boat it's much less.

Venice is quite small and easily explored on foot. You may keep seeing the same faces as you explore, spotting someone from the plane, someone from the hotel, a familiar face here and another there - just like the Venice located film  "Don't Look Now!"...no dwarfs though!

A Gondola ride is well worth while..very touristy, but something you have to do. Cost varies relative to demand and time of day. Maximum is about EURO 60 for 30-45 mins. Prices increase in the evening as the lights come on. You may get a better deal by picking one up in a not too busy backwater side canal.

Venice did not smell by the way. Picnics in public are not encouraged, especially if you rest yourself on steps, also stopping on the famous bridges is not on either....there are just too many visitors and you would cause pedestrian grid lock. In early August, Venice was full, hoards and hoards of visitors.

Compared to Rome or Sorrento/Naples, Venice is very expensive. Eating out, coffees etc all cost a lot more than in Rome or Sorrento/Naples. Even eating in a small back street restaurant was to us quite expensive. We were spending about UK£ 25 each for a simple pasta dish, a glass of wine, a dessert and a coffee. Having said that all food was good, well presented and the premises were clean with friendly staff.

If you want to go up the tower in St Mark's Square, it's best after 7pm when the crowds have gone it was EURO 6. No steps, but a modern, large and spacious lift.

A boat trip/tour to Murano and Burano is well worth while. Murano is the glass works - lots of really expensive glass to buy, while Burano is far more interesting - wonderful multi-coloured houses and shops, bijoux canal and bridge and lots of really cheap lace to buy!!

We also found it quite a task to buy any food or fresh milk in Venice. It seems that everybody eats out!!! Eventually we found a shop about 2 mins from our hotel - well hidden - so we had tea in our hotel room after all. We guess it all helps deter the picnics!!

You can easily get lost in Venice and you will. This is all part of the fun, basically there are just two ways to go, to/from St Mark's Square or to/from Rialto Bridge.

Venice is very Romantic. Walking hand in hand with my new wife through a myriad of backwater canals and dancing water reflections is just something else. Our honeymoon then moved on to Egypt, see links below.

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